In the framework of the 2015 Slovenian Presidency of the CPESSEC, we would like to announce that the 14th Managerial Conference will be organised on 24th of September, 2015 on the topic “PES strategic approaches in building and strengthening the cooperation with employers”. The 13th Expert conference will be held under the topic “Group counselling and other forms of group working with unemployed” on 25th of September, 2015. These two topics have received the highest preference scores in a survey on possible topics which Employment Service of Slovenia carried out among all CPESSEC members. The venue of the conferences in Ljubljana as well as other information will be proceeded in due time.

Result: In order to support and steer the preparation for the conferences, we are providing a further descriptions of the respective topics. We would like the presentations and discussions at the 14th Managerial conference to be focused on the following items: short overview of the overall PES strategy of working with employers, plus one or two approaches that have been introduced and proved as successful and innovative practices in promotion of the usage of PES services (e.g. increasing the job-mediation market share, improving employment of vulnerable groups, better coping with skills shortages, etc.); strategic and other considerations for introducing the practice and description of its implementation; short-term results achieved and long-term benefits expected in cooperation with employers due to the implementation of respective practice (or practices). By presenting good examples, the topic gives an opportunity for mutual learning on PES strategic issues. Under the topic of the 13th Expert Conference we are looking forward to learning more about career services for unemployed that the members of the Centre are providing either by their own staff or in cooperation with external providers. The respective underlying questions are: in which career service areas the work with groups is organised (e.g. job-search skills, activation and motivation, career planning, job-search support, coaching, use of e-tools, etc.); for which groups of unemployed are these forms of support the most appropriate and how they are integrated in the overall PES service model; is group work performed by specialised and dedicated staff; how are the efficiency of group activities and client satisfaction followed up, etc. In case of cooperation with external providers, how the tendering criteria are formulated and how the monitoring is ensured (e.g. feedback on clients’ progress, follow-up of the results, such as transitions into the jobs, etc.). It would be interesting to discuss whether these forms of working with job-seekers have been extended due to austerity measures and PES budget cuts. And consequently: was increase of these forms of work done on account of less individual work with clients; or due to expert evaluations showing that group based activities could efficiently replace or complement an individual counselling approach? We ask all CPESSEC members to indicate the dates of the conferences in their respective schedules.